Depiction of Nirvana

This Depiction of Nirvana was originally donated to Tenryūji Temple in what is now Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo Prefecture, on February 15, Hōreki 3 (1763). Later, on July 15, Meiji 16 (1883), it was donated as a fixture of the Sendan-Rin School and is now in the possession of Komazawa University. Currently, the Depiction of Nirvana and the “back label of the depiction of Nirvana,” which contains the origin of the drawing, are mounted as separate hanging scrolls.

The Depiction of Nirvana is an iconographic representation of the scene of Śākyamuni’s death. It is said that Śākyamuni died on February 15, and since ancient times in Japan, people of all religious denominations have commemorated the legacy of Śākyamuni by displaying the depiction of Nirvana and observing Parinirvana Day.

In this painting, Śākyamuni is lying beneath a pair of Sal trees to the north, south, east, and west, respectively, surrounded by numerous bodhisattvas, deities (heavenly beings), and animals, in addition to his disciples. This style represents the basic composition of Japanese depictions of Nirvana, and its production required a significant amount of time and resources.

The original donor of this depiction to Tenryūji Temple was Fukuoka Hachibei, a parishioner of the temple who ran a merchant house, Maruya, in Shinbashi. Fukuoka commissioned this painting from Bogetsusai Fubun, a painter from Yanaginobanba, Shijōdōri, Kyoto Prefecture, and had it mounted by a hyōgushi (hanging scroll craftsman), Sanjuken Tsuda Shuzen, who was responsible for food preparation at court in Kyoto Prefecture.

Later, this depiction was donated to the Sendan-Rin School, which had just opened on October 15 of the previous year in Kitahigakubo Town, Azabu Ward, Tokyo Prefecture. It was donated by Ōta Nihei of Shinagawa and Ōta Jihei of Yokohama, both parishioners of Tenryūji Temple, in commemoration of the opening of the main lecture hall of the Sendan-Rin School. The date of donation, July 15, is thought to honor the Urabon-e. For these reasons, this depiction is an extremely valuable resource for the history of Komazawa University.